Church of St Peter and St Paul in Grzędzice

The Church of St Peter and St Paul stands in the centre of Grzędzice in the Stargard municipality. It was built in the 15th century of erratic boulders and brick, has been entered in the heritage register since 1955, and has preserved Gothic frescoes inside.

Structure and surroundings

It is a hall church on a rectangular plan measuring 17 by 13.8 metres, with a chancel closed on five sides at the east. The wall of erratic boulders of various sizes has brick corners and brick surrounds to the windows and portals, and the pointed-arch entrances are closed with chamfered brick. A four-sided tower with a brick cornice and blind niches adjoins it from the west. The church square is surrounded by a stone wall with brick gateways; it used to be a churchyard, and old trees grow on it.

Frescoes of the 15th century

The most valuable are the polychromes of 1450-1470, by an unknown author. In the upper zone of the walls 13 Passion scenes are shown, from the Agony in the Garden to the Resurrection. Lower down can be seen St George fighting the dragon, the Coronation of Mary, and images of the twelve apostles and other saints. The paintings were conserved in 1955-1956 and in 1986.

Furnishings

By the west portal, outside the church, stands a medieval granite font. Inside there is a Baroque crucifix and a sacrament house on the east wall, and the high altar of 1910 has a Neo-Gothic cross with a figure of Jesus that comes from the original, 15th-century decoration. After the war the church was consecrated as a Catholic one on 25 March 1947.

Practical information

• Address: Grzędzice 56a, Stargard municipality.
• The church is in use as a parish church; the Mass times and the possibility of seeing the interior are given on the parish website.
• In Stargard itself stands the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Queen of the World.